Interns Making an Impact! Students Thrive Under Mentoring Program

“So, what do you want to do after high school?” 

Pose that question to students of Faulkton Area High School (FHS) and you’re guaranteed to get a thoughtful, creative answer. 

Thanks to a thriving Internship and Mentoring Program, budding young professionals are gaining hands-on experience that may pave the way for a future career.

“The internship program at Faulkton School has been shaping students' futures for nearly twenty years,” said FHS internship coordinator Nikki Melius, recipient of the Faulkton Area Lions Club’s 2018 Community Service Award. “I developed it to give students the opportunity to step beyond the structured school day and gain practical workplace experience. Thanks to a supportive community that values younger generations as key to future success—along with strong administrative backing that has fostered its growth—the program has become an integral part of nearly every student's academic journey. Students excel when they can learn in places of employment that interest them and having the opportunity to work during the traditional school day is something many look forward to.”

And while January marked the official observance of National Mentoring Month to inspire every student to turn their dream into a reality, FHS wants to ignite that spark year-round. 

Connecting to Their Future 

“The internship program is open to students who have successfully completed the CTE course Employability with a B average,” said Melius. “This course is an introduction to workplace readiness. All students explore post-secondary education options for future career interests, and complete written documentation for references, resumes, and other employment paperwork.”

Working under the tutelage of local pros whose businesses represent a wide swath of fields such as retail, automotive, healthcare, agriculture, and education, interns are tasked with responsibilities that run the gamut from curating displays in retail consignment shops to wrenching on automobiles to inserting embryos into female goats. 

Photos of the interns in action and their enthusiastic testimonials bloom across the FHS Facebook page: 

“The promising future inspires me to keep going and makes me want to keep working… the work is tedious but is worth it!” - Lincoln D. 

“I am constantly working with people that might have an idea on what they want or have no idea at all. That means I will be there to give guidance, support and work on my people skills.” - Hayden F. 

“It’s a great opportunity for me to learn things I don’t know. My favorite part is when they let me put a dent in a door just so I can fix it myself.” - Gian D.

“At my internship I am working on equipment (air seeder, combine, sprayer) that I will be working on in college and this will give me a head start in the precision ag field.” - Cord B. 

“My internship connects me with my future plans because I want to be an elementary teacher. Experience in a classroom makes me a lot more confident going forward!” - Amelia C. 

Regardless of whether a student ultimately chooses to pursue a career in the area in which they intern, the knowledge, confidence, and time management skills they learn during the program has proved invaluable for all involved. 

“The community is very supportive. Many businesses can find students who may sometimes become potential employees," said Melius. “I would be misleading if you think every placement is perfect. Students learn about the best and worst of daily tasks. Some students definitely continue to follow the career path of their internship and for others, it is just enough exposure to learn that they need another and different plan for their future.”

For more information about the Internship Program at Faulkton High School, click here!